"Let me get this
straight" Stephen Granger was angry. "You want me to allow you
to take my 17 year old daughter on a world tour to find the magic you
need to defeat a homicidal maniac who calls himself a dark lord?"

"Yes sir." Said
Harry Potter, A.K.A. the boy who lived. This was going better than
he had expected. Hermione had claimed that her father wouldn't
understand. "We should be back before the end of August."

Hermione Granger
sighed, rolling her eyes at Harry's happiness at having 'explained'
their plans to her father. You fat head Harry. I meant he
wouldn't understand why we were going, not what we were going to
do. How could someone so powerful be so dim? It seems to be a
characteristic most wizards share.

"Daddy, Voldemort is
going to hurt a lot of people unless Harry stops him. We've been
through the Hogwarts and Black family Libraries three times and can't
find what Harry needs to stop him. This 'World Tour' is an
attempt to learn new magic that isn't known here. We plan to start
in Boston and keep going until we find what he needs."

"Your father and I
understand dear. You have our blessings, go and be safe."

"Thank you Mum,
Daddy!"

The two teens grasped
the Goblin provided international portkey and vanished.

"Sarah, why did you
do that?"

"How is it any
different than you're taking me to Blackpool when I was 17? As I
recall we didn't leave the hotel room all week."

"And your brothers
beat me up. Hermione doesn't have any brothers."

"Well maybe you could
hire a few of those nice Weasley boys to do it for you."

Neither of them noticed
the rat with the silver paw hiding behind the settee…

…---ooo000ooo---…

"Going on a magical
world tour to learn how to defeat me are they?"

"Her mother thinks
they are going to shack up in their hotel room and make out the
entire time and that this is just a way of getting rid of that
annoying Weasley boy."

"Nonsense Wormtail.
Young Harry is too pure, too honest, and too good to sully himself in
such a way. He reminds me of myself at that age."

"No, young Harry is a
16 year old boy who likes girls" said Bellatrix Lestrange quietly.

"What was that Lovely
Bella?"

"I said, I'm
looking forward to hearing your maniacal plan to eliminate that
annoying 16 year old boy and take over the world Master."

Four hours later
following many bouts of maniacal laughter, several rounds of
'crucios' for everyone and about 9 minutes of actual planning, a
12 man team of Death Eaters disappeared with an international
portkey.

And were never seen
again.

…---ooo000ooo---…

Neither was the 12 man
team sent three days later with strict instructions to report in via
signaling mirror as soon as they arrived.

A week later a 50 man
assault team were sent, wand out and spells on their lips. They
vanished without a trace.

So Voldemort created
another International Portkey and used it himself.

…---ooo000ooo---…

He appeared in front of
an older man sitting at a desk, wearing a well tailored Muggle
business suit.

"Ah, Mr. Riddle,
welcome to the United States. How can I help you?"

"Who are you? Are
you a representative of your ridiculous Department of Magic?"

"Mr. Riddle, I don't
represent any branch of any government. I represent, shall we say,
individuals with Business interests, and as their representative I
have been directed to inquire as to your intentions while you are in
North America."

"I am Lord
Voldemort!"

"Of course you are
Mr. Riddle. Here in North America we don't recognize hereditary
titles, much less those self conferred. So you'll excuse me if I
continue to use your birth name. Your intentions sir?"

"What happened to my
people?"

"The unpleasant
fellows in the black robes and white masks? They refused to
cooperate and were dealt with accordingly. My friend, you really
should tighten up your recruitment criteria, rather than go for blood
status, you should recruit for intelligence. During the autopsies
many of them had some of the most alarming birth defects. Inbreeding
will tell, you know."

"You're not a pure
blood?"

"Good lord no. Mr.
Riddle, as you are no doubt aware Europe used the colonies in the
Americas as a dumping ground for what you call 'squibs' as well
as second sons who could not inherit. Blood lines appeal to some
deluded souls, but for the most part it isn't a major part of our
lives. We fight over different things." The man smiled. "But
we are getting off the topic at hand, what are your intentions while
in North America?"

"I am here to kill
Harry Potter."

"Ah, yes." The man
referred to some papers on his desk. "Harry James Potter,
currently at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology and Magic,
conferring with some of our Technomages while his future wife devours
the library. Fascinating couple, we expect quite a bit from them
over the next few years. No, sorry we cannot allow you to approach
or harm Mr. Potter."

"How do you propose
to stop me?"

"Really Mr. Riddle,
you are stopped. My principles are reviewing this interview as we
speak, if you are lucky you will be allowed to return to the UK, if
not you will join your people on the autopsy table in our in house
morgue."

Voldemort went for his
wand. And found that it was missing.

The man behind the desk
gestured toward a shield bubble on his desktop, there was Voldemort's
wand.

"A short history
lesson if you will Mr. Riddle. There have been magic users in North
America since the first people came to this continent, yet there has
never been a 'Dark Lord' or anything like that ilk here, and when
ever one of your European or Asian brothers come here to conquer they
are quickly swallowed up and disappear. Have you ever wondered why
that is?"

"I hadn't thought
about it."

"The reasoning is
quite simple. Dark Lords create heroes. Your Mr. Potter for
instance. Some fool seer makes some incoherent mumblings about a
child born as the seventh month dies and you attack him. If you
hadn't he would be a normal 16 year old boy trying to get into his
girl friends pants instead of doing all he can to be able to kill
you, much to the frustration of said girlfriend. So, you kill him.
Unfortunately he has inspired followers who swear vengeance on you.
Each of them inspires followers, it is a geometric progression, and
eventually one of the followers of the followers gets lucky and takes
you out."

The man removed his
eyeglasses and cleaned them with a piece of cloth. In short it was
observed that you 'Dark Lords' are just plain bad for business.
You cause disruptions, which reduce profit."

A small pop was heard
and a piece of paper appeared over the desk. The man in the Muggle
suit snatched it out of the air and read it.

"I'm sorry Mr.
Riddle, but you have been evaluated as being a threat to the bottom
line, and as such must be neutralized."

"You fool, you cannot
kill me, I am immortal."

"Ah yes, your
'horocruxes'. A team of our psi actives have gotten the
locations of those artifacts and neutralization teams have been sent
to find them." On his elaborate desk console a light came on.
"And they are gone. Excuse me for a moment." He reached to the
console and pushed a switch "Becky?"

"Good girl that
Becky, came to us straight out of Salem, never missed a day. Unusual
to see that level of dedication from one so young." He looked up
to Voldemort again, and smiled. "But you don't really care about
that do you. I've enjoyed out little talk, but I've got some
goblins coming in to discuss their dental plan."

"So what happens now?
You turn me over to your crime boss?"

"Crime Boss? Mr.
Riddle you misunderstand. I don't represent organized crime, I
work for New York Life and Casualty in their Department of Magical
Policies. When Mr. Potter purchased his International Portkey from
our Representative at Gringotts London, he checked the box indicating
he desired Travel Insurance. This is all just part of the package."

…---ooo000ooo---…

Hastily throwing on one
of the hotel chain's courtesy robes, Harry padded across the room
to answer the knock.

"Mr. Potter?" asked
the well dressed young woman. "May I come in? This is a business
matter about your Gringotts trip package."

"Certainly, come in"
He showed her into the suites sitting room.

"Mr. Potter, Ms.
Granger," she nodded to a similarly dressed Hermione who has at the
door to the suites bedroom. I am Stacy Goodling from New York Life
and Casualty, I am here to speak to you about your travel insurance
policy you purchased as part of your Gringotts International
Portkey."

"Yes Ms. Goodling?"

"I've been asked to
inform you that 98 Death Eaters who were sent to do you harm have
been intercepted and neutralized, as well as one " She stopped to
read her paperwork, "'Dark Lord Voldemort' who has also been
neutralized. Unfortunately this is the limit of the original policy,
and if you would like us to extend coverage to counter any other
attacks we will need to add a rider to the policy."

"You've taken care
of Voldemort?"

"Yes, he and his
'horocruxes' were disposed of by 9:37 this morning, Eastern
Standard Time."

"Yes I'd like the
rider."

"Excellent." She
pulled some papers out of her brief case. "Sign here, Initial
here, and your thumbprint here." She smiled again. "New York
Life and Casualty thanks you for your business. I hope the remainder
of your trip is enjoyable."

"Thank you Ms
Goodling." And Harry showed her to the door.

Hermione flew into his
arms. "It's over. It's really over."

He kissed her, moving
his hand inside her now open robe. "Now we can to what your dad
thinks we've been doing."

She smacked him on the
arm.

"What was that for?"

"You said that buying
the insurance would be a waste of money!"

…---ooo000ooo---…

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.